Interesting Recycling Facts

Introduction and Facts

With dwindling freshwater, oil reserves and exploding demand, for good and services worldwide, recycling is now center stage. Recycling is the process of re-manufacturing used material into new products to prevent waste. Increasingly, the world is becoming more aware of the importance of environmental concerns. In years past recycling was ignored; now even businesses recognize the importance of recycling. Some important reasons to recycle includes the reduction of pollution, the conserving of energy, and land fill space.

Today more than half of the new aluminum is made from recycled metals.

When aluminum is recycled, there is an energy savings of over ninety percent compared to making it from its raw form. The energy saved in 1993 alone was enough to power a major US city for five years.

Americans throw away enough glass jars and bottles to fill the former World Trade Towers each month.

Most glass jars and bottles have at least twenty five percent recyclable content.

Each year Americans throw away over 24 billion Styrofoam cups.

The junk mail Americans receive in one day could provide heat for over 240,000 homes.

In the United States the average person throws away 600 times their weight in garbage during their lifetime.

The weight of the aluminum cans recycled in 2001 was equal to 14 aircraft carriers.

105,000 aluminum cans are recycled every minute in the United States.

When an aluminum can is placed it the garbage, it is the same as wasting six ounces of gasoline.

Recycling steel saves seventy-five percent of the energy necessary to produce new steel.

on an average day in the 21st century, humans worldwide will add fifteen million tons of carbon to the atmosphere, create seventy square miles of desert, eliminate 100 square miles of rain forest, and increase their population by over 250,000.

What to do Next

Although most recyclable items falls into the categories of glass, non-toxic metal, plastic and paper, there are other classifications that contain hazardous materials and must be disposed of properly. When you have items such as Fluorescent lights, E-Waste, Batteries, Motor Oil find the nearest recycling location to handle that type of hazardous material. Do not throw these items in a dumpster; they require special handling. If you have regular paper, plastic, aluminum or glass pick a corner in your garage or another out of the way place in your home; get 3 or 4 semi large plastic bins; label each one and start recycling. When your bins are full take them to the local recycling facility.

Conclusion

The time for recycling is now; with the demands of an energy hungry world, we can no longer ignore the energy savings of recycling. Recycling saves the environment, save energy and it helps to free space in land fills. Moreover, it saves trees and fresh drinking water. Do your part start recycling today.

Comments 54 comments

Recycling is mandatory here in Wisconsin. Paper, glass, aluminum and other cans are picked up by the city. Plastics are picked up depending on the type.

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Smireles - Thank you for your kind words, and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@dahoglund - Thanks for the information, didn't know it was mandatory in Wisconsin; thanks for your feedback, and nice to hear from you again.

thevoice 6 years ago from carthage ill

very informative work thanks

Ralph Deeds 6 years ago

We fill two recycling boxes every week. One for paper, the other for paper and plastic.

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@thevoice - Thanks for stopping by.

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Ralph Deeds - Thank you for commenting on this article, and it is nice to hear from you again :)

Micky Dee 6 years ago

Recycling is catching on everywhere. More programs are instituted all over. We have to do it and take on other measures as well. Thanks Coolmon!

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Micky Dee - Yes I agree. I see it catching on where I live too; once again, nice to hear from you.

Sandyspider 6 years ago from Wisconsin, USA

Good advice that we all can use.

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Sandyspider - Thanks for taking the time to comment on my article :)

Sage Williams 6 years ago

An awesome, well written and amazing hub on a very important subject. The facts were astounding. I enjoyed reading this very much.

Great Job!

Sage

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Sage Williams - Thank you for your kind words; nice to hear from you again :)

AJ2008 6 years ago

As you know I don't need convincing to recycle - I went to a landfill site where my hubby was doing some scientific research about Landfill Gas. I think if children were taken to such places as part of their studies we would have no trouble in convincing them to reduce, reuse and recycle!

There's some mind blowing facts and figures here. A very thought provoking hub!

hypnodude 6 years ago from Italy

Another good, interesting and important hub. Rated up. :)

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@hypnodude - Thank you for your feedback :)

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@AJ2008 - I bet your husband has some very interesting stories he could tell; thank you for commenting on this article :)

prettydarkhorse 6 years ago from US

wow, I like this hub cool, I like the series you are writing about the environment, good job, maita

Dolores Monet 6 years ago from East Coast, United States

We now have mixed recycling in our area which means we can dump all the recycle stuff into one can, including those little plastic food containers you get at the grocery store. We fill the recycle can every week and have not quite a full can of garbage. Amazing how much of the stuff we use can be recyled. I'm glad to be able to cut down on trash.

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@prettydarkhorse - Glad you like the series Maita; Thank you for taking the time to comment on this article.

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Dolores Monet - Must be nice one less thing to do; In our area we have to separate recyclables. Thanks for the information, and nice to hear from you again :)

Amberheart 6 years ago from Everywhere GREAT!

Great hub, have you every heard that if you dont take the lids off bottles u recycle they wont be recycled. Someone told me that wondering if it true.

LeonJane 6 years ago from Australia

Amazing facts on waste and recycling. It's mind boggling when you quantify things like that. We should all do our part to slow the process of digging big holes in the ground to extract raw materials.

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@LeonJane - I understand what you mean; it is much less expensive to recycle metals, paper and glass than to produce from raw materials; It is nice to hear from you again thanks for stopping by.

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Amberheart - I have heard that before; I guess it depends on the location and the attitude of the workers, I personally have always removed the metal caps off my glass before going to recycle location. You have brought up an interesting point; thanks for commenting on this article.

Truth From Truth 6 years ago from Michigan

Nice article about recycling, I think everyone should put in the effort to keep down costs, and avoid waste. Thanks.

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Truth From Truth - Yes I agree, recycling is the way to go saving energy and waste; once again it is nice to hear from you.

Nell Rose 6 years ago from England

Hiya, I didn't know about most of this, wow, I think we should do as much as possible. We do have different bins over here, that we have for paper and plastic, as well as usual rubbish, but I do remember seeing on TV the other night, that a lot of it is sent abroad and just dumped. Dangerous things, that can harm the local people and animals. The trouble is that the everyday people try to do their best, but then companies take over, and for a small amount of money, send it abroad! thanks for this nell

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Nell Rose - What you say about the hazardous stuff is interesting; thanks for the info, and thanks for your comments.

Chicagovision 6 years ago from Chicago

Everyone should do there part, thanks for doing your part with this hub.

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Chicagovision - Yes I agree; thank you for your feedback :)

prasetio30 6 years ago from malang-indonesia

We have to consider about this. Recycle is needed at this time. With the big hope it can made another useful things. Good topic. thank you very much!

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@prasetio30 - Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to read this article.

habee 6 years ago from Georgia

Amazing facts and great research!

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@habee - I am glad you enjoyed reading this article; once again, nice to hear from you.

BkCreative 6 years ago from Brooklyn, New York City

We US citizens create so much of the world's pollution. When you think about it - all we are doing is buying junk. Just how much soda do we have to drink and why - it has no health benefits. The canned foods have BPA lining which is toxic but we still buy it.

There was this "Pogo" - the possum - comic strip many years ago and Pogo said "We have seen the enemy, and he is us!" There is no excuse for not recycling, reusing, repurposing and re-educating the masses, but we can recycle all we want - but why buy this unnecessary stuff in the first place. It causes pollution to make it and the US is the worst culprit.

We need hubs like this to constantly remind us. Thanks so much - we have to effect change, now!

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@BkCreative - You are so right; thank you for your detailed feedback, and as always, it is nice to hear from you :)

GeneralHowitzer 6 years ago from Land of Salt, Philippines

Thanks for sharing Coolmon... I hope more will read this especially the young ones...

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@GeneralHowitzer - Thank you for your feedback, and for leaving your comments :)

Home Boy 6 years ago from Florida

I found your post very informative and full of facts, I've been moving my business to a greener way of producing and this is really helpful.

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Home Boy - Thank you for your feedback, and thanks for stopping by.

tonymac04 6 years ago from South Africa

Thanks for a timely reminder. Always good to think about what happens to our waste.

Love and peace

Tony

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@tonymac04 - Thanks for stopping by :)

katiem2 6 years ago from I'm outta here

I'm a big advocate for recycling and your recycling facts are both helpful and inspiring, Thanks :)

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@katiem2 - I know what you mean, i am too. Nice to hear from you again :)

Dr irum 6 years ago

Good information for recycling .Thanks for your great research on important topic .

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Dr irum - I am glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking time to read and leave comments on this hub.

sameerk 6 years ago from India

Very interesting , keep going , nice hub

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@sameerk - Thanks for stopping by :)

Lita C. Malicdem 6 years ago from Philippines

I'm an avid promoter of living green and I promote the healthy attitude toward the 3R's(Reuse, Recycle, Reduce). I have a garbage stand made of iron in 3 compartments for each of these trash- degradable, non-biodegradable, and broken glasses from my household. Continue your crusade to let a wider audience know the benefits of recycling. Nice job!

Coolmon2009 6 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Lita C. Malicdem - Thanks for your comments. I am glad you like this article :)

Peggy W 4 years ago from Houston, Texas

Such an important topic! Our subdivision picks up recycled items like paper, glass and aluminum weekly in bins that they provide. Flourescent lights, old computer items, TVs, batteries, etc. we take to other recycling areas. Everyone should do their part to not only recycle...but re-use things as much as possible. When we share food with others, we often give it away in clean old cottage cheese containers or old glass jars and then tell them that not only do they need not to return the items...but to recycle them on their end.

Voted up and useful. Thanks!

Coolmon2009 4 years ago from Texas, USA Author

@Peggy W - Very well said; Yes we all should do our part in recycling; thanks for your comments.

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